The present inventive subject matter relates to semiconductor memory systems and methods of operating the same and, more particularly, to nonvolatile memory systems and methods of operating the same.
Semiconductor memories typically are formed from semiconductor materials, such as silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phospide. Semiconductor memories may be classified into volatile memories and nonvolatile memories.
Volatile memories typically lose their stored data when power supplies are interrupted. Volatile memories include static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), etc. Nonvolatile memories typically retain their stored data even when power supplies are interrupted. Nonvolatile memories include read only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable and programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, phase change RAM (PRAM), magnetic RAM (MRAM), resistive RAM (RRAM), ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), etc. Flash memories may be classified as NOR-type flash memories and NAND-type flash memories.